Three piece ball template

ABSTRACT

A ball structure (1) is disclosed which comprises three panels (2, 3, 4) of identical shape which can be joined to form a spherical ball. The panels (2, 3, 4) can be cut from a template and their shape is adapted to minimize wastage of a substrate material cut according to a pattern provided by the template.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to balls manufactured of multiple segmentsand, in particular, discloses a ball structure that can be economicallymanufactured from three ball segments.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known for example to manufacture a tennis ball from two panels offelt cut in complementary dumbbell-like shapes. When bent andinterlocked, the two dumbbell shapes form a substantial sphere and whenaffixed along their peripheral edges complete the structure of the ball.However, in such a construction there is a substantial waste of the feltwhen the dumbbell panels are cut from a sheet of substrate material.This waste represents an additional cost in the manufacture of suchballs.

It is also known to manufacture a ball from three panels each having aleaf-like, oval, shape. Such a manufacture is also subject to the sameor similar waste as the tennis ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, orameliorate, the abovementioned problems through provision of a ball anda method of manufacture thereof which reduces the waste in a substratematerial.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there isdisclosed a ball comprising three panels, each of said panels having atleast two parallel edges with said panels being adapted to be joined toform a spherical surface.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there isdisclosed a template for the manufacture of a ball from a materialsubstrate, said template comprising an array of identical panel sectionseach substantially rectangular in shape and comprising two substantiallyparallel elongate sides, two diagonally opposed curved corner sections,and two diagonally opposed obtuse corner sections, wherein said templateprovides a cutting grid upon said substrate from which said panels canbe cut, and from which said ball can be formed by joining any threepanels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of preferred embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of three panels configured immediately prior tobending to form a spherical ball;

FIGS. 2(A)-2(F) shows various views of a ball constructed using thepanels of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a knife grid pattern from which the panels of FIGS. 1and 2 can be cut to minimize wastage of material; and

FIG. 4 shows an alternative panel shape of another embodiment.

BEST AND OTHER MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a ball structure 1 is shown which is formedfrom three panels 2, 3 and 4 which can be cut from a template. Panelsare generally manufactured of a material or materials useful for theeconomical manufacture of balls, such as tennis ball felt, rubber andrubber composite materials, to name but a few. The panels 2, 3 and 4 canbe colored identically or each panel may be colored differently asdesired by the ball manufacturer. It should be noted in this connectionthat the shading of the panels shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 1(A)-2(F) isnot meant to indicate any particular color pattern, but to merelyillustrate that the panels may be differently colored.

As seen in FIG. 1, each of the panels 2, 3 and 4 is of a substantiallyrectangular shape having parallel elongate edges 5 and 6, and diagonallyopposed curved corner edges 7 and 8. Adjacent each of the curved corners7 and 8 are diagonally opposed obtuse corners 9 and 10, each having anidentifiable point. In each case, the corners 9,10 are formed by theintersection of two edges 11 and 12, the edge 11 extending from eitherone of the curved comers 7, 8, and the edge 12 extending from either oneof the parallel edges 5, 6. The edges 11 and 12 meet to form an obtuseangle at that periphery of the panel 2, 3, 4. The actual angle subtendedbetween the edges 11 and 12 must exceed 90° and is typically between100° and 140°. The angle in particular dictates how each of panels 2, 3,4 join to form the poles of ball, with changes in the angle representinga departure from an optimal spherical shape. Generally for a substantialspherical shape, the angle is between 110° and 130°, and most preferablyabout 112° to 115°.

As illustrated, the three panels 2, 3 and 4 are positioned for formingthe ball such that three obtuse corners 10 meet such that the panels 2,3 and 4 are folded until their edges contact each other whereupon theyare welded or otherwise joined to form a preferably spherical ballshape.

With reference to FIGS. 2(A)-2(F), it will be apparent that theintersection of the obtuse corners 9 and 10 represent the two poles ofthe sphere and that the curved corners and 8 impart a twist to theinclination of each panel 2, 3, 4 about the sphere.

Referring to FIG. 3, a sheet of material substrate 13 is shown markedwith a template pattern 14 which provides the panel shape of thepreferred embodiment. With this shape, as shown and described above, thespace between adjacent panels in the template 14 is minimized therebyreducing waste of material.

In FIG. 3, the template pattern 14 shows a two-dimensional array ofpanels configured such that panels in one row 15 are displaced by half apanel width from panels in adjacent rows 16 and 17. Where appropriate, asquare grid arrangement may be used where this is no disposition betweenadjacent rows.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a panel 20 which has parallelelongate sides 21 and 22, diagonally opposed curved corners 23 and 24,and diagonally opposed obtuse corners 25 and 26. However in thisembodiment, the corners 25 and 26 are formed from an intersection of astraight edge 27, extending from the curved corners 23, 24, and a curvededge 28, extending from the sides 21, 22. In each case, the obtusecorners 25, 26 form a point which when formed in a ball structureultimately forms the poles of the ball.

The preferred embodiment provides a panel shape that can be dyed in anydesired color and combined with other panels of different color ifdesired to produce a ball with a multi-color effect. In each case, it isnecessary to derive the panels from differently dyed substrate materials13 which are separately cut from an identical template. The segmentationprovides for economical cutting of leather, rubber, felt and othermaterials used in the manufacture of bails and also provides a means forisolating dye color and allocating a color per roll of sheet ofspecified material.

The "twist" which results in the completed ball segments as illustratedin FIG. 2, also adds to the strength of the resultant ball through theinterconnection of the panels not lying in any one plane therebypermitting shearing and other forces that may be applied to the ball tobe distributed to some extent throughout each panel and not necessarilyalong a join between panels.

One specific advance of manufacturing a ball of the preferred embodimentis that through the use of three panels, as opposed to the two paneltennis ball, a ball can be readily manufactured of three colors. Forexample, the manufacturer of BMW (registered trade mark) motor vehicles,may wish to manufacture a ball with the panel colors blue, white andblack thereby representing the colors of that motor vehiclemanufacturer. Also, a ball representing Germany may be manufactured withred, gold and black panels.

Alternatively, any three colors such as orange, yellow and lime greenmay be applied to the respective panels to obtain any desiredmulti-colored effect.

In a further embodiment, the panels can be colored in accordance withAustralian Patent Application No. 56800/90 filed by the presentApplicant to the extent that when a ball manufactured and colored withred, blue and green (for example) in accordance with the preferredembodiment, presents a pulsating light effect to an observer when it isspun. The pulsating light effect is derived from the perceived mixing bythe human eye of the three colors in much the same way that a colortelevision which incorporates only three colors can be varied to showdifferent levels of intensity and hue.

In a further alternative embodiment, a ball manufactured with thepreferred embodiment can have one or more panels impressed with a logo,trade mark, or other ornamentation such that the ball can be used foradvertising or other promotional purposes for one or more products ororganizations.

Where the panels are colored with bright fluorescent materials it isdesirable to utilise a cold-glue process for joining the panels. This isbecause a traditional hot-glue process, as used for example withtraditional tennis balls, can affect the brilliance of the color and mayeven change hue. The cold-glue process allows more pure substrates suchas acrylics to be used thereby preventing deformation of the acrylicmaterial which normally occur in the hot-glue process. Examples of coldglues include epoxy resins and silicones. With the cold-glue process,direct abutment between the panels can be obtained thereby avoiding theproduction of a broad (white) seam which occurs between the dumbbellpanels of a traditional tennis ball.

The foregoing describes only a number of embodiments of the presentinvention, and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, canbe made thereto without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

Industrial Applicability

The present invention is applicable to the manufacture of balls and, inparticular, to their economical and/or ease of manufacture through thereduction of wastage of substrate materials. Balls can be used for anynumber of purposes including promotional and advertising purposes.

I claim:
 1. A ball comprising three substantially identically shapedpanels joined together to form a substantially spherical surface,wherein each said panel, if laid flat prior to joining, is substantiallyrectangular in shape and comprises a pair of substantially straight andsubstantially parallel elongate edges, two diagonally opposed curvedcorner sections, and two diagonally opposed obtuse corner sections.
 2. Aball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panels are joined such thatcorresponding first obtuse corner sections of each said panel contacteach other at a first point, and that corresponding second obtuse cornersections of each said panel contact each other at a second pointdiametrically opposed to said first point, said points representingpoles of said ball.
 3. A ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panelsare differently colored in a predetermined hue sequence adapted toprovide a pulsating visual effect when the ball is spun.
 4. A ball asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each said obtuse corner section comprises anintersection between two straight edges extending from adjacent curvedcorner section and elongate edges.
 5. A ball as claimed in claim 1,wherein each said obtuse corner section comprises an intersectionbetween a straight edge extending from an adjacent curved corner sectionand a curved edge extending from an adjacent elongate edge.